Safety device for mine-chutes.



1.F.HUME.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR MINE CHUTES.A

.APPLlcATlou HLED 1AN.1o. |916.

l l @gim Patented May 304, 1916.

y ll' Z@ Hfzq 4J A e' 7 Q 4 4a' gnou/tow trivia z JOI-IN F. HUIVIE, 0F REDDING, CALIFORNIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR MIN E-CI-IUTES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3U, i916..

Application filed January 10, 1916. Serial No. 71,293.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. HUME, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Redding, in the county of Shasta, State of California, have invented a new and useful Safety Device for Mine-Chutes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a safety device for mine chutes, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby the mouth of the chute is closed at all times except when the ore or other material is being dumped through the same, thereby preventing the possibility of accidents due to workmen falling through unprotected ch'ute openings.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, which can be readily applied to the mouth of any chute through which ore or like material is dumped from cars, which is automatically locked in a closed position when the car is moved away from the chute, and which can be manipulated without diliculty by the same workman who usually manages the car and dumps the same.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a safety device constructed in accordance with the invention, the mine car being shown by full lines as in position upon the track before being moved upon the turntable of the device, and by dotted lines as in position upon the turntable. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device with the car removed, the turntable being shown by full lines in normal position, and by dotted lines in the position assumed when the mouth of the chute is uncovered preparatory to dumping the contents of the car through the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, the turntable being in position for uncovering the mouth of the chute. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the latch member which holds the turntable against rotation at all times except when the car is in position upon the same. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2, the inoperative position of the car locking arm being indicated by full lines, and the operative position thereof by dotted lines.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a platform upon which is mounted the usual track 2 for the cars 3, said cars being formed with the dumping bodies 3a. A circular bed 4 is arranged upon the platform opposite the end of the track `2, and a turntable 5 is pivotally mounted upon the bed 4, said turntable carrying a track section 6 which can be turned into alinement with the main track 2 to admit of a car being moved from the track upon the turntable, and vice versa. The center of the bed 4 is provided with a raised seat 4a and the bottom of the turntable 5 is provided with a corresponding seat 5a, the said seats 4a and 5a being formed with annular raceways 7 within which ball bearings 8 are positioned. A pivot bolt 9 extends centrally through the bed 4 and turntable 5, and the latter is supported upon the balls 8 so that it will rotate freely with a minimum amount of friction. The periphery of the turntable is provided with a depending annular flange 5b which overhangs the edge of the bed 4.

The platform l and bed 4 are provided with corresponding openings forming the mouth l0 for an ordinary chute such as are commonly employed in mines. The turntable 5 is provided opposite the end of the track section 6 thereon with an opening 11 which is provided at the ends and outside thereof with the shield l2, and is adapted to be turned intoand out of registry with the mouth l0 of the chute. When the track section 6 of the turntable is in alinement with the main track 2, the chute mouth 10 is closed by the turntable 5, and this is the normal position of the turntable. However, when the turntable is rotated about its axis to bring the track section 6 thereon into a position at substantially right angles to the direction of the main track 2, as indicated by the dotted lines on Fig. 2, the opening therein is in registry with the chute opening 10, so that the contents of the mine car can be readily` dumped through the chute opening. The turntable is then rotated back to normal position and the car rolled away from the main track for further loading.V

Pivotally mounted at 13 upon one side of the track section 6 on the turntable, is a trip lever 14 which terminates ina downwardly projecting locking linger 15 passing looselythrough an opening in the turntable and adapted to engagea depression 16 in the bed t. *A1 spring 1 17 engages the trip lever 14, and normally holds the locking l finger 15 in operative position. The oppo* site end of the trip lever is curved upwardly to providev a trigger 18 which normally pro jects above the top of the rails into the path of the carv wheels. When the car 3 is rolled into position upon the turntable, one of the front wheels thereof will engage the trigger 18 and force the same downwardly, thereby lifting the trip lever 14 against'the action Vof the spring 17 and swinging the locking finger 15 into inoperative position. The

turntable 5 is then released so that it can be swung around through an angle of substantially 900 and brought into dumping position. After the contents of the car have been dumped through the' chute opening the Yturntable is rotated to .bring the track section thereon again into alinement with the main track 2 and the car rolled away for reloading.V As soon as the car is rolled out ofengagement with the trigger 18 the spring 17 forces the trip lever 14 into operative position and again locks the turntable against rotation. A suitable stop member 19 may `be provided to limit the rotary movement of the turntable as it is-'turned backward to bring the track section thereon into alinement with vthe main track 2. y

It may frequently be found desirable to provide some means for locking the car 3 upon the turntable when the latter is turned away from its normal position and the track section (iV thereon is notin'alinement with the main track 2. Blocks 20 may be suitably arranged upon the turntable 5 to` check kthe forward movement of the car when it is rolled into proper position upon the turntable. vAny suitable Ymeans such as the swinging arms 24 may be provided to engage the car and lock the same against backward movement at all times except when 'the track section 6 of the turntable is inalinement with the main track 2.' In the present instancethis arm 24E is 'carried by a longitudinally extending rock shaft 25 which is journaled within suitable bearings 26, the extremity of the arm being notched at 24a for engagement with -one of the car axles.

ment 29 when the track section 6 of theturntable is brought into engagement with the main track 2. The engagement of the crank arm 28 with the abutment 29 swings thelocking arm 21 downwardly against the action of the spring 27 into inoperative position, and the car can then be moved from the turntable back upon the main track. The trip lever 14 locks the turntable in this position until another car is rolled into position upon the turntable. The latch means is then released, and the moment the track section 6 of the turntable is moved out of alinement with the main track 2 the locking arm 24 is automatically swung upwardly into engagement with the axle of the car by the action of the spring 27, thereby lookin the car in position upon the turntable unti the turntable is again brought into position for moving the car back upon the main track.

The mouth of the chute is efectively closed at all times, exceptl when the ore or other material is being dumped into the chute from the cars. In mines and other places where open chutes are commonly found, accidents are frequently occasioned by workmen falling through the unprotected chute openings, and these accidents could be completely avoided by the use of these safety devices. The construction is simple and there are no complicated parts to get out of repair and cause trouble. Neither would it require a special attendant, since the turntable could be operated without difficulty by the workman dumping the car.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a platform formed with a chute opening and having a track thereon, of a circular bed mounted upon the platform and having an opening registering with the chute opening, a turntable rotatablyr mounted upon the bed and formed with an opening adapted to be swung into and out of registry with the opening of the bed, and a track section upon the turntable arranged to be in alinement with the main track and form a continuation thereofwhen the turntable is in one position and to be moved out of alinement with the main track when the turntable is rotated to bring the opening thereof into registry with the chute opening.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a platform formed with a chute opening and having a main track thereon, of a circular bed mounted upon the platform and formed with an opening registering with the chute opening, a turntable mounted upon the bed, the opposing faces of the bed and turntable being formed with seats having annular raceways therein, ball bearings within the raceways, said turntable being formed with an opening adapted to be moved into and out of registry with the chute opening, and a track section arranged upon the turntable and adapted to be in alinement with the main track and form a continuation thereof when the turntable is in one position and to be swung into a position at angles thereto when the turntable is rotated to bring the opening thereof into registry with the chute opening.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a platform formed with a chute opening `and having a track thereon, of a bed arranged upon the plat form and formed with an opening registering with the chute opening, a turntable rotatably mounted upon the bed and formed with an opening adapted to be moved into and out of registry with the chute opening, a track section arranged upon the turntable to be swung into and out of alinement with the main track and the chute opening being closed by the turntable when the track section is in alinement with the main track, latch means for locking the turntable against rotation when the track section is in alinement with the main track, and means actuated by a car moved upon the track section for releasing the latch means.

l. In a device of the character described, the combination with a platform formed with a chute opening and having a track thereon, of a rotatably mounted turntable formed with an opening adapted to be swung into and out of registry with the chute opening, a track section arranged upon the turntable to be swung into alinement with the main track, the said track section being moved to a position at angles thereto when the turntable is rotated to bring the opening thereof into registry with the chute opening for dumping the contents of a car through the chute opening, means for .locking the turntable against rotation 'when there is no car thereon, and means for locking the car against movement on the turntable when the track section thereof is swung` out of alinement with the main track.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a platform formed with a chute opening and having a' track thereon, of a rotatably mounted turntable provided with an opening adapted to be moved into and out of registry with the chute opening, a track .section arranged upon the turntable to be in alinement w1t h the main track when the chute opening 1s @epica of thm patent may be obtained for closed by the turntable and to be at angles to the main track when the opening of the turntable is in registry with the chute opening, latch means locking the turntable against movement when the track section is in alinement with the main track, means actuated by a car moved upon the turntable for releasing the said latch means, locking means for holding a car against movement upon the turntable, and means for rendering the said locking means inoperative when the track section is in alinement with the main track.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a platform formed with a chute opening and having a track thereon, of a rotatably mounted turntable formed with an opening adapted to be moved into and out of registry with the chute opening, a track section arranged on the turntable to be in alinement with the main track when the chute opening is closed and at an angle thereto when the chute opening is open, a rock shaft upon the turntable, a locking arm projecting from the rock shaft, means for normally swinging the locking arm into engagement with the car to hold the car against movement, a crank arm projecting from the rock shaft, and an abutment arranged in the path of the crank arm for cooperation therewith to swing the locking arm into inoperative position when the track section is in alinement with the main track.

7 In a device of the character described, the combination with a platform provided with a chute opening and having a track thereon, of a rotatably mounted turntable provided with an opening adapted to be turned into and out of registry with the chute opening, a track section arranged upon the turntable to be moved into and out of alinement with the main track, the chute opening being closed by the turntable when the track section is in alinement with the main track, a latch lever pivotally mounted upon the turntable for locking the turntable against rotation when the track section is in alinement with the main track, means normally holding the latch lever in operative position, and a trigger rigid with the latch lever and projecting upwardly into the path of the car for automatically moving the latch lever into inoperative position when a car is moved upon the turntable.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN F. HUME.

Witnesses:

HENRY Gr. HILL, ANNA A. BROWN.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washinnton, D. U. 

